TODAY'S NEWS: FRIDAY SEPT 16, 2011

MANY PROPLE ARE STILL FEELING THE AFFECTS OF THE FLOODING AFTER THE STORMS LAST WEEK. JANET CURTIS DIRECTOR OF THE SCHUYLKILL CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS SAYS THEY CAN HELP. J MATTHEWS HAS MORE

LAWSUIT ALLOWED AGAINST EX-OFFICERS

A FEDERAL JUDGE RULED THURSDAY THE PARENTS OF DAVID VEGA WHO DIED WHILE IN CUSTODY IN SHENANDOAH IN NOVEMBER 2004 SHOULD HAVE THE CHANCE TO PROVE THEIR ALLEGATION; POLICE KILLED HIM. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS CARLOS VEGA AND GENEVIEVE VICTOR WERE RECOMMENDED THEY BE ALLOWED TO TAKE THEIR LAWSUIT TO TRAIL AGAINST THE BOROUGH AND FORMER POLICE CHIEF MATTHEW NESTOR AND FORMER POLICE CAPTAIN JAMIE GENNARINI. VEGA AND VICTOR FILED THE LAWSUIT IN 2006, SEEKING UNSPECIFIED MONETARY DAMAGES AGAINST THE BOROUGH AND ITS EX-OFFICERS, ALLEGING POLICE KILLED THEIR SON AND CONSPIRED TO MAKE HIS DEATH LOOK LIKE A SUICIDE. IF THE U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE ACCEPTS THE REPORT A STARTING DATE FOR THE TRAIL WILL BE SCHEDULED.

NO CHARGES FILED IN DEATH OF 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL

CHARGES WILL NOT BE FILED AGAINST 29-YEAR-OLD ERICA MABRY OF MINERSVILLE WHOSE VEHICLE STRUCK AND KILLED A YOUNG GIRL WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. POLICE SAY MABRY WAS UNABLE TO AVOID HITTING 12-YEAR-OLD CAITLYN KONKUS AT AN INTERSECTION WHEN SHE WAS RIDING HER BICYCLE OFF A HANDICAP RAMP.

U.S. ASK COURT TO UPHOLD CONVICTIONS

IN A BRIEF FILED THURSDAY, FEDERAL PROSECUTORS ARGUED CONVICTIONS SHOULD BE UPHELD AGAINST TWO FORMER SHENANDOAH POLICE OFFICERS ON CHARGES RELATING TO THE OBSTRUCTION OF THE INVESTIGATION OF THE FATAL BEATING OF AN ILLEGAL MEXICAN IMMIGRANT. PROSECUTORS SAID THE EVIDENCE WAS MORE THAN SUFFICIENT FOR THE JURY TO CONCLUDE THAT FORMER CHIEF MATTHEW NESTOR SUBMITTED A FALSE REPORT AND THAT FORMER LT. WILLIAM MOYER LIED TO FBI AGENTS. THE REPUBLICAN HERALD REPORTS THE THIRD CIRCUIT COURT IS CONSIDERING THE APPEALS FILED BY MOYER AND NESTOR OF THEIR CONVICTIONS.



OPERATION HUGS AND KISSES

A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT STARTED IN 2010 IS HELPING THE VICTIMS IN THE PINE GROVE AREA AFTER THE FLOOD. OPERATION HUGS AND KISSES WORKS IN THE AREA OF PINE GROVE AND TREMONT. MANY RESIDENTS ARE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE MORE THAN EVER SO HUGS AND KISSES HAS BEEN HANDING OUT CASES OF WATER AND CLEANING SUPPLIES. THEY ARE NOW ASKING FOR YOUR HELP BY ATTENDING AN ALL YOU CAN EAT SPAGHETTI DINNER ON OCTOBER 2 AT HHL FIRE COMPANY. YOU CAN DONATE TO THE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE FLOODING WHILE ENJOYING A DELICIOUS MEAL. MONETARY DONATIONS ARE ALSO BEING ACCEPTED AT FULTON BANK UNDER THE DISASTER RELIEF FUND. FOR TICKETS TO THE SPAGHETTI DINNER YOU CAN CALL MISSY WITHEROW AT 294-2503.


DOC PLANS A CHANGE BEGINNING IN OCT.

THE DEPT OF CORRECTIONS IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PLANS TO USE EXISTING TECHNOLOGY TO ACHIEVE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION IN LIEU OF A SEPARATE SYSTEM. THE MOVE WILL SAVE TAXPAYERS CLOSE TO $40,000/YR. EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1 THE ALERT-PA SYSTEM WILL BE THE ONLY SYSTEM USED TO NOTIFY CITIZENS OF PRISON EMERGENCIES. YOU CAN REGISTER FOR ALERT-PA BY GOING TO WWW.PA.GOV AND SIGNING UP FOR EMAIL TEXT OR PAGER ALERTS.

CONGRESSMAN HOLDEN RECOGNIZED BY FARMERS

CONGRESSMAN TIM HOLDEN WAS RECENTLY RECOGNIZED BY THE NATIONAL FARMERS UNION. THE N-F-U AWARDED HOLDEN THEIR 2011 GOLDEN TRIANGLE AWARD, THE ORGANIZATION'S HIGHEST LEGISLATIVE HONOR. THE F-M-U AWARDS MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP ON ISSUES RELEVANT TO AMERICA'S FARMERS, RANCHERS, FISHERMAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES.


STATE NEWS:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A PENNSYLVANIA INMATE HAS RECEIVED A FIVE-YEAR SENTENCE FOR WRITING A PRISON LETTER IN WHICH HE THREATENED TO KILL PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND EAT HIS FLESH. SECRET SERVICE AGENTS SAY GREGORY DALE BROCKMAN ALSO THREATENED TO KILL FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA AND FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - LAWMAKERS IN PHILADELPHIA HAVE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO OVERRIDE THE MAYOR'S VETO OF THEIR PLAN TO PRESERVE A CONTROVERSIAL PENSION PROGRAM. MAYOR MICHAEL NUTTER VETOED A CITY COUNCIL BILL THAT KEPT THE DEFERRED RETIREMENT OPTION PROGRAM, KNOWN AS DROP, BUT REDUCED ITS COST. NUTTER WANTS THE PROGRAM ELIMINATED ALTOGETHER, SO HE VETOED THE BILL. ALL 17 MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL YESTERDAY VOTED TO OVERRIDE THE MAYOR'S VETO.

MARIETTA, PA. (AP) - WORKERS AT A CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA CEILING TILE PLANT HAVE OVERWHELMINGLY REJECTED THE COMPANY'S CONTRACT OFFER. UNION WORKERS HAVE BEEN LOCKED OUT OF THE ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES PLANT IN MARIETTA, LANCASTER COUNTY SINCE JULY 17TH. ABOUT 85 PERCENT OF THE PLANT'S 260 WORKERS VOTED 'NO' TO THE CONTRACT OFFER YESTERDAY.

ALLENTOWN, PA. (AP) - A PENNSYLVANIA MAN HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF ASSAULT, BUT NOT GUILTY OF ATTEMPTED MURDER, IN THE STABBING OF HIS ESTRANGED GIRLFRIEND. NORTHAMPTON COUNTY JUDGE LEONARD ZITO PRESIDED OVER THE NONJURY TRIAL. YESTERDAY, HE RULED DECOLTIUS DICKERSON SR. WAS GUILTY OF AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT AND UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT BUT NOT GUILTY OF ATTEMPTED MURDER IN THE SEPTEMBER 2010 ATTACK.

NATIONAL NEWS:

WASHINGTON (AP) - NEWLY RELEASED EMAILS SHOW THERE WAS ADMINISTRATION CONCERN ABOUT A SOLAR TECHNOLOGY COMPANY'S FINANCIAL HEALTH EVEN AS IT GOT $528 MILLION IN FEDERAL STIMULUS LOANS. OFFICIALS PUBLICLY DECLARED THE COMPANY IN GOOD SHAPE BUT IT DECLARED BANKRUPTCY LAST MONTH AND LAID OFF 1,100 WORKERS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE NATION'S TOP SATELLITE SPY MASTER SAYS THE NATIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE HAS ITS ACT BACK TOGETHER. IN RARE PUBLIC COMMENTS AS THE NRO TURNS 50, DIRECTOR BRUCE CARLSON BLASTED A CANCELED MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR SATELLITE PROGRAM AS A "COLOSSAL FAILURE." BUT HE SAYS THE NRO IS ON BUDGET NOW WITH NEW PROGRAMS TO TRACK POTENTIAL INTERNATIONAL TROUBLEMAKING.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - TENS OF THOUSANDS OF GROCERY WORKERS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COULD GO ON STRIKE AS SOON AS SUNDAY NIGHT IN A BATTLE OVER HEALTH CARE BENEFITS. UNION OFFICIALS HAVE CANCELED A CONTRACT EXTENSION, CLEARING THE WAY FOR A WORK STOPPAGE. THE UNION HAS ABOUT 62,000 MEMBERS WHO WORK FOR ALBERTSONS, RALPHS AND VONS.

OSLO, NORWAY (AP) - OFFICIALS ARE WARNING THAT A CRUISE SHIP WHICH CAUGHT FIRE OFF NORWAY'S WESTERN COAST IS LISTING BADLY. SALVAGE TEAMS ARE PUMPING WATER OUT OF THE DOCKED SHIP WHICH IS LISTING AT AN ANGLE OF 19.8 DEGREES - CLOSE TO THE "CRITICAL"
TILT OF 20 DEGREES. TWO PEOPLE DIED IN THE FIRE AND 262 PEOPLE WERE EVACUATED.

LUBBOCK, TEXAS (AP) - THE WORST DROUGHT IN DECADES HAS TEXAS WILDLIFE SCIENTISTS OUT RESCUING FISH AND OTHER AQUATIC SPECIES IN RIVERS ACROSS THE STATE. SOME MINNOW SPECIES WHICH ARE CANDIDATES FOR LISTING AS THREATENED OR ENDANGERED ARE IN SHRINKING RIVER POOLS WHERE THE WATER IS HOT, MUDDY AND SALTY. THE FISH WILL BE
TAKEN TO THE STATE'S FISH HATCHERY.